An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 180

180. #32 – Sharing Meals (3)

“Mom, Dad. The flight is long, but we’re in comfortable seats, so don’t worry too much.”

My parents nodded, their faces full of excitement.

“Oh, hush. Your dad loves flying more than anything in the world.”

“That’s right. I love flying. I wish I could just stay on a plane for days!”

I chuckled at my father’s words.

“Dad, you’ve only ever taken the 30-minute flight to Jeju Island.”

It was my parents’ first time traveling abroad.

Their only trips had been two visits to Jeju Island with another couple.

My father smirked at my words.

“That’s why I want to fly longer. Jeju is such a tease of a flight.”

“Haha, true. Dad, I wonder if you’ll get sick of flying this time.”

When we arrived at Incheon Airport, my parents’ eyes widened.

It was their first time at Incheon Airport, having only ever flown domestic routes.

“Wow, is the airport this big?”

“Yeah. Shall we head inside?”

“Let’s go.”

After relaxing in the airport lounge with my parents, we finally boarded the plane.

It was their first time on such a long flight, and even more so, their first time in business class.

My mother and father were amazed by everything, pressing all the buttons on their seats.

“Wow, Heeseong’s dad, look at this. It’s really nice.”

My father seemed to be hiding his excitement behind a stoic face.

Seeing my parents like this filled me with pride and a touch of bittersweetness.

It had only been a year since I started going abroad myself.

I felt guilty that my parents had never been on an overseas trip, having spent their lives raising me.

I also felt sorry for only now taking them on a trip abroad.

And seeing my parents’ bright faces, I made a resolution: to spend as much time with them as possible.

This place we arrived at after a full day of travel…

“Wow!”

“Wow… This is unbelievable…”

My parents exclaimed, lost for words.

It was a place that was essential for honeymoons: the Maldives.

The reason I specifically chose this popular honeymoon destination was because I remembered that my parents never had a honeymoon.

Back then, they couldn’t afford it, and a honeymoon was a luxury for them. They had only taken a 1-night, 2-day trip within the country.

After having me, they couldn’t travel often.

I wanted to take them to a honeymoon-like place, even if it was late.

And because my parents were getting older, I wanted to come to a place where they could relax on an island rather than travel to many different places.

If we went to Europe, my parents wouldn’t have enjoyed the hectic schedule. If we went to Southeast Asia, fans would recognize me, and we wouldn’t be able to walk around freely.

So, I chose the Maldives, a destination that would satisfy everything.

As expected, my parents were thrilled and enjoyed the Maldives to the fullest.

“Wow! Heeseong, look at the color of the water here.”

The water was so clear that you could see the sand at the bottom.

It was my first time in the Maldives as well.

I exclaimed in admiration. “It’s so beautiful…”

My father, having shed his stoicism, recited with a bright face, “If there’s a heaven, it must be like this…?”

I smiled contentedly at my father’s words and approached him.

“Dad, how’s the Maldives?”

“What’s there to say? It’s the best place in my life.”

“Haha, let’s swim here and relax the whole time before we go.”

“Sounds good.”

We blankly stared at the clear sea together.

***

A resort floating on the sea.

Open the curtains of the bed, and you’ll find a large pool in the room. And next to the pool, there was a staircase leading directly to the sea.

“How can such a place exist in the world?”

My mother’s admiration hadn’t stopped since arriving in the Maldives. I was surprised by the admiration itself; my mother must be feeling even more joy than I was.

“Oh my. Heeseong’s dad, Heeseong. Look at this.”

My mother urgently called me and my father. When we approached her, there was a hole in the middle of the room, with glass showing the bottom, so you could see the sea.

“Wow! Mom, you can see the fish passing by here.”

“That’s right. Heeseong, thank you for bringing me to a place like this.”

Looking at my mother, who was speaking to me with moist eyes, I smiled and shook my head.

“No. I’m sorry for only bringing you now. Let’s travel often from now on.”

“Oh dear, when will you save money then? It must have cost a lot of money to come here.”

I shrugged my shoulders at my father’s words and joked, “Dad, I’m Jin Heeseong. Your son is famous now. I’m on TV every day, and I’m in the movie theater too. Haha.”

My mother and father burst into laughter at my words.

“Yes, we’re living in luxury thanks to our son. Isn’t that right, Heeseong’s dad?”

“That’s right. We raised our son really well. Haha.”

From the moment we started the trip, from the moment my parents left the house until now, the laughter never left their faces.

I was happy and enjoying every moment I was spending with my family.

I realized that it’s not about how much money you spend on a trip, but who you spend it with. My heart was full, and looking at my parents, I spoke with sincerity.

“Mom, Dad, let’s not get sick and travel like this often.”

After playing in the water for several hours, we headed to the restaurant, holding our hungry stomachs.

“There are so many restaurants on this island?”

My mother looked around and gaped.

“Yeah, this island has everything from food to coffee, and activities to enjoy. Take your time and enjoy everything you want to do.”

My father turned his head at my words and said, “Then can we eat at that big swimming pool over there?”

I turned my head at his words, looked at the swimming pool, and smiled. “Of course. Shall we eat there?”

“Sounds good.”

“My dad knows how to enjoy the romance, doesn’t he? Haha.”

We took a seat at the table right in front of the infinity pool with a view of the sea.

A few minutes later, the food we ordered came out: pasta, pizza, and steak that my parents don’t usually eat.

I didn’t think they would enjoy food other than Korean food, but my mother quickly opened her cell phone and took pictures.

“Oh my, it’s so pretty and delicious.”

“Mom, Dad, if you’ve come all the way to the Maldives, you have to have a mojito.”

At my words, my parents held up the mojitos in front of them high in the air.

“Okay, everyone look here and pose. I’ll take a nice picture for you.”

“Heeseong’s dad, move a little closer.”

My parents looked at each other and struck a friendly pose. I captured my parents in one frame with a happy smile.

Click-!

That’s how the first day of our happy family trip was coming to an end.

***

Darkness had fallen on the Maldives. My parents, who had finished their first long flight, fell asleep early, even though it was early evening.

And I opened the door connecting the room to the sea. I sat on a chair on the deck and stared blankly at the sea.

“…Good.”

Darkness had fallen on the sea, but I could see the waves sparkling in the moonlight. I felt the tranquility and peace.

I took a bottle of champagne that was set up in the room and took a sip, enjoying the leisure. This feeling that all worries and anxieties disappear…

I turned my head and glanced at the room where my parents were sleeping. The corners of my lips went up on their own.

“If I had known my parents would like it this much, I would have come on a trip sooner…”

I quickly opened my cell phone and started looking at the pictures I took today.

“Haha, Mom closed her eyes again?”

I smiled as I looked at my parents’ pictures and opened SNS [Social Networking Service] for my fans. Then, I posted a picture of me and the scenery of the Maldives. I also posted a picture of my parents’ backs without their faces on SNS.

“I have to show these good pictures to my fans too.”

***

The next morning, I woke up to the hot sun of the Maldives. I admired the scenery in front of me: the blue sea that can be seen just by slightly lifting your head from the bed.

The emerald sea was a color that only existed in my imagination. Instead of going out through the door, I made a cup of coffee and opened the glass door in front of the bed with the swimming pool wide open.

The sea seemed clearer than the water in the swimming pool. Looking at the sea, I leaned back on the outdoor sofa. The sun was rising slowly, as leisurely as I was.

I took a sip of coffee and looked at the sea. The lagoon showed a color beyond what I had imagined. This sea, which was not the commonly known blue sea color, but a clear emerald color, showed all the white sand on the bottom.

Looking at the lagoon while drinking coffee, all the worries in my heart seemed to disappear.

“Is this why people come to the Maldives for their honeymoon…?”

I raised the corners of my lips with a smirk and swallowed the coffee again.

At that time…

“Heeseong.”

The door opened, and my father walked towards me.

“Oh? Dad, you’re already awake?”

“Yeah, I came on a trip like this, so I have to wake up early and enjoy it more.”

“Oh my, Dad, you must be tired. You should have slept a little more.”

My father shook his head at my words and replied, “I want to see the sea with my son like this too.”

“Would you like some coffee?”

“Sounds good.”

“Just a moment. I’ll get it for you quickly.”

“Okay.”

My father leaned back on the sofa at my words and looked at the sea. I quickly brought the coffee for my father and came back.

“Dad, here’s the coffee.”

“Thank you.”

We sat side by side and drank coffee without any conversation. Silence was flowing like that.

I had never done anything like this alone with my family, especially with my father. I don’t think I’ve ever had a conversation with my father, even if I was alone with him.

But that didn’t mean that this situation was awkward or uncomfortable, because it wasn’t an uncomfortable opponent; it was family.

In the meantime…

“Oh?”

A small shark passing right in front of my eyes.

At my surprised voice, my father looked not at me, but at the end of my gaze.

“Dad, a shark over there!”

“Wow, that’s really amazing.”

We stood up at the same time and looked at the shark.

“I’m seeing a shark in my life; it’s a really good experience.”

“Seeing sharks in the Maldives isn’t that amazing. It seems to pass by in front of the room like this.”

At my words, my father smiled contentedly and sat back in his seat, staring intently at the sea and reciting, “Heeseong, I’m so happy that you’re so successful.”

“…….”

My father, who had always opposed me, and my father, who always supported me when I started appearing on TV, but he had never told me directly.

I just heard through my mother that my father was proud of me, but the moment I heard my father talking about his feelings about my work and my success, I couldn’t say anything.

Just a tingling feeling on one side of my heart. I wasn’t crying, but somewhere in my chest was burning hot.

My father was embarrassed that he had told me his feelings. He cleared his throat and got up from his seat.

“Hmm, I’ll pay for the next trip.”

I smiled at my father’s words and nodded.

“Then I’ll just go with my body?”

“Yeah, my son, just come with your body. Dad will pay for everything. Haha.”

My father and I looked at each other and burst into laughter.

“Dad, I’ll go wash up first.”

“Yes, when Mom wakes up, let’s go have breakfast then.”

“Okay. Dad will wake Mom up after washing up.”

After my father went into the room like that, I was repeating the story my father had told me, and a smile spread across my face without me knowing.

At that time…

Ding-dong.

The alarm sound of the cell phone.

It was a comment alarm ringing on SNS.

“Oh? I thought I turned off the alarm….”

I tilted my head and opened SNS. There were hundreds, no, thousands of comments on the post I posted last night: my picture taken in the Maldives and the picture of my parents’ backs.

-Oppa, you look so happy!

-Heeseong oppa, Maldives for a family trip. Don’t get sick, and come back safely.

-I love you, Jin Heeseong!

I was smiling happily as I looked at the fans’ comments when one comment made me frown.

-Looking at the way you can’t learn how to act, did your mom get cut into pieces?

The comment was a malicious comment that exceeded my common sense. The moment I read that comment, it pressed my anger button very hard.

My face turned red, and I felt like I was suffocating. How can you write such a thing on SNS? No, apart from that, what did I do wrong to say such a thing to me?

Everything was okay, even cursing about my acting, even criticizing my personality or appearance. Yes, I could endure it all, but insults to my parents could not be tolerated for even 1 second, 1g, or one letter.

I barely swallowed the curse that was about to come out of my mouth, looking at my parents in the room. I quickly captured all the malicious comments left with that account and sent the photos to Manager Kim in Korea.

-Hyung [older brother/male friend], that malicious commenter I told you about last time, I sent you the picture, can I report this?

Manager Kim was looking at his cell phone and sent a reply right away.

-Yeah, I think you can sue him? I’ll check with the legal team and get back to you.

-Thank you.